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Tidmouth
Tidmouth is a borough situated on the River Tid Estuary on Sodor's west coast. With a population of 85,000 as of 2019, it is the largest city on Sodor. It is home to the headquarters of the North Western Railway and the mainline sheds. History Tidmouth's rise and development are mainly due to the enterprise of the drainage company A. W. Dry & Co. The harbor, which is deep and well sheltered, has been known for centuries as a safe place in which to ride out storms. Until the 1880s, however, access from the land was only possible on foot or by pack-pony. The valley of the Tid, northeast behind the town, is peculiar in that it is narrow and enclosed by precipitous cliffs; and being throughout on a higher level, the river falls sharply before reaching the sea. Even now there are only footpaths along the valley. Until well on into the 19th Century it was a rough place, the haunt of smugglers who alternated as fishermen and who had developed their special kippering process, the secret of which is still jealously preserved today. A. W. Dry & Co. faced considerable opposition when wishing to use the harbor as a base for operations in the Knapford area. Boatbuilding, however, was among their various activities and they had produced a new design of fishing boat which fortunately found favor with the Tidmouth men. This together with judicious "sweeteners" eventually opened the door to an amicable arrangement. Supplies and equipment for the drainage project could then be brought in by sea and conveyed along a coastal road built for the purpose round the headland. By 1905, the Ulfstead Mining Company had become dissatisfied with Knapford as a port and adopted A. W. Dry's suggestion of extending their tramway along this coastal road to Tidmouth and Mr. Topham Hatt, a young engineer from Swindon who had lately joined A. W. Dry's staff, built some light steam locomotives for them. All went well and trade boomed until an Autumn gale in 1908 destroyed the road and the tramway with it. Trade was disrupted and the numbers of miners were thrown out of work. The situation was desperate. A. W. Dry had a large interest in the mines and had not yet been paid in full for the drainage work done. With the help of a Treasury Loan, they put unemployed miners to work under Mr. Topham Hatt's direction, cutting a railway tunnel through the ridge south of Tidmouth and laying a railway directly from Tidmouth to Knapford. The Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway was formed in 1910. Amalgamation with the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway followed in 1912 and brought fresh trade to Tidmouth. But it was only when the double track NWR was completed in 1916, connecting Tidmouth at last with the outside world, that its potential as a harbor was realized and its development could really begin. The town's growth as a port and industrial center has been phenomenal and it rapidly became the Island's commercial capital. However, it still retains many marks of its uncouth origins and is not attractive to tourists. Nevertheless, those ramblers who are bold and dedicated enough to scramble up the steep path beside the Falls of Tid will be rewarded in the valley beyond, which is a place of awesome splendor. Mention of the Falls is a further reminder of Messrs A. W. Dry's enterprise. In 1906, by harnessing the Falls of Tid, Tidmouth became the first town in Sodor to be lit by electricity. Tidmouth received a Royal Charter to become a Borough in 1918. The North Western Railway moved its main Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters to here from Vicarstown in 1925, two years after the Railway Act was passed. The station, known as the "Big Station", has an all-over glass roof spanning eight-terminal lines and a "through road" leading to Duck's Branch Line. It contains the Fat Controller's main office and is the station where HM Queen Elizabeth II visited Sodor. The Express departs and returns from here every day. Since the 1960s, the station has begun to modernize with various changes in technology, following the town which is now full of many Sudrian tech start-ups among the increasing amount of modern skyscrapers. These changes have seen Tidmouth possibly becoming a more appealing city to younger demographics, but pushing out many of the older generations that have called it home. Despite its changing times, Tidmouth is often considered very affordable on a low-wage compared to the likes of London. Trivia *The town's motto is "Industry and Progress". Tidmouth's Coat of Arms features a smith's hammer and tongs, a lymphad, three herrings and a wheel. These cover all of Tidmouth's titles to importance: shipping, transport, fishing, and engineering. *Tidmouth is given an original design for its appearance in the Sudrian Chronicles but also incorporates various elements from both the Television Series and the Railway Series as a tribute to the original source material. **The station is located nearby the sea, and features the harbor nearby as well, referencing the Railway Series. **Tidmouth has streets located nearby, with several parking lots present. This is a callback to both the Railway Series, as well as the My Thomas Story Library's version. **Tidmouth has glass roofs complete with several platforms with buffers. This version is specifically from the Railway Series. **Tidmouth features MC Bunn, a bakery located in Knapford Station within Thomas & Friends. **Sir Topham Hatt's Office is based in Tidmouth much like the Railway Series and takes on a combination of original content, the TV version, and the original RWS version. Category:Locations Category:Cities